Tennessee’s governor publicly said Saturday (Dec. 26) that he has sought emergency assistance from President Trump (R) following the explosion in downtown Nashville.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) tweeted several updates related to the 25th bombing on social media Saturday.
He visited the site of the explosion earlier Saturday.
“The damage is shocking and it’s a miracle no residents were victimized.” Lee said he also praised police officers for their heroic efforts to save lives.
He said the Shively Metropolitan Police found the suspicious camper around 6 a.m. on the 25th, which blew up 30 minutes later, injuring at least three people and triggering a mass evacuation of local residents.
Currently, Nashville Mayor John Cooper (D) has issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in the affected area, which will enforce a curfew until Sunday night.
A Level 3 state of emergency has also been activated in Tennessee, and the explosion also affected AT&T communications in several states, including Tennessee.
In addition, Lee sent a letter to President Trump on the 25th asking for emergency assistance from the federal government.
“Given these factors, the severity and gravity of the current situation dictates an effective response that exceeds the capacity of state and affected local governments,” Lee wrote in the letter, “and therefore, it is necessary to obtain federal assistance under the Stafford Act to supplement the state, local government, disaster relief organization capabilities and available resources, as well as to compensate for disaster losses through insurance.”
The Stafford Act authorizes the federal government to provide assistance to local governments following a major disaster or during an emergency.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
President Trump was briefed on the bombing on Friday.
At 6:30 a.m. Friday, a camper van (RV) exploded in front of 166 N2 Street in downtown Nashville. The loud explosion rocked the empty street early Christmas morning, shattering windows, damaging buildings and injuring three people. Authorities said they believe the explosion was intentional.
Police did not confirm whether anyone was inside the camper when it exploded. No deaths have been reported.
Police say the motive for the incident is unclear and will have to await further investigation.
For now, authorities have released a photo of the suspected RV involved. The FBI wants the public to report the information.
Recent Comments